Many music fans view Mariah Carey as the present queen of Christmas music. The Pop/R&B icon’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” remains one of the most-played songs every year during the holiday season.
“All I Want for Christmas Is You” has also returned to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart every December for the past four years. Mariah Carey’s classic tune held the top spot for three weeks in 2022.
In total, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” controlled the Hot 100 rankings for 11 weeks. That stat makes Mariah Carey the first female artist in history to lead the Hot 100 for at least 11 weeks with three different songs.
Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men Ruled The Hot 100 In The 1990s
Philadelphia-bred R&B group Boyz II Men also has three songs that have remained at #1 for 11 weeks. The Michael Bivins-backed quartet’s “One Sweet Day” with Mariah Carey commanded the Hot 100 for 16 weeks in 1995-1996.
In addition to the “One Sweet Day” and “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singles, Carey’s “We Belong Together” dominated the Hot 100 for 14 weeks in 2005. Boyz II Men also surpassed the 11-week mark with 1992’s “End of the Road” (13 weeks) and 1994’s “I’ll Make Love to You” (14 weeks).
According to Billboard, twenty-eight different songs have held onto the Hot 100’s #1 slot for at least 11 total weeks. 2019’s “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus holds the all-time record (19 weeks).
“One Sweet Day” is tied for second place with Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber. Former One Direction boy band member Harry Styles sits in third with his “As It Was” single (15 weeks). That Harry’s House track is the longest-running Number One for 2022.
Mimi Holds Additional Billboard Hot 100 Records
Mariah Carey has the most overall #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a solo act. The five-time Grammy winner reached the pinnacle of the chart with 19 different entries. That total is only second to The Beatles (20).
During a recent appearance on Fox 5 New York, his first television interview since the whole ordeal began, the R&B singer talked about the two-month coma that had him fighting for his life.
Al B. Sure! has been struggling with health issues for months but continues to update fans on his progress via social media. On Saturday (December 17), the R&B legend shared an Instagram video to his account and revealed the hole in his neck from a tracheotomy had closed.
“That moment when I get home and look into the mirror for the 1st time minus the bandages to discover that the massive hole in my neck from the #tracheostomy has completely closed,” he wrote. “Finally. Not too long ago I can remember simply attempting to speak and only the sound of ‘gurgling air pockets’ would come through! Dr. @djeddief for the save!”
Although noticeably gaunt, Al B. Sure! has come a long way since May when news of his hospitalization first started to spread. During a recent appearance on Fox 5 New York, his first television interview since the whole ordeal began, Al B. Sure! talked about the two-month coma that had him fighting for his life.
“I feel amazing,” he said. “I feel fantastic. But within amazing and fantastic, it has its challenges because I’m also healing physically. There’s a time period when you really have to heal. I have what’s called ‘Chevron.’ That’s when they cut your chest open […] I’m the recipient of an amazing, blessed new liver, and I’m going to treat it well.”
Rappers who have received a guest verse from Jay-Z should consider themselves blessed. Hov is inarguably one of hip-hop’s G.O.A.T.s, has spent the last three decades giving hip-hop some of the greatest bars the genre has seen in a career that includes 14 No. 1 albums, dozens of hit songs and countless hip-hop quoteables. While the 53-year-old rapper-billionaire has hopped on dozens of records in his career, he’s never spread himself too thin. There are some major rap stars who have never gotten a verse from Jigga and even more who have only been able to get one 16 from the god-level Brooklyn bar layer including Eminem and Nas.
There have long-been rumors that a Jay-Z verse could cost a rapper their entire budget. Another number that has been floating out there is $250,000. In July of 2022, Jigga claimed he no longer charges artists to appear on their tracks.
“It’s mostly relationships,” Jay-Z told Kevin Hart on the comedian’s Hart to Heart show on Peacock. “It’s actually always been mostly relationships. Sometimes it’s talent and sometimes someone asks me to be on something. Pretty much every song that I’m on I’m asked to be on. I don’t ask people to be on their songs. I never charge.”
“Way more nos than yeses,” Jay confirmed about the ratio of requests he actually obliges.
Over the years, some rappers have been more highly favored than others when it comes to being able to obtain a coveted guest verse from Jay-Z, with the number slimming down even more as of recent—Jay only appeared on three songs in 2022.
XXL highlights the rappers (and one DJ) who have tapped into the Jay-Z cheat code on a minimum of two occasions to find out which MC has been able get the most guest appearances from Mr. Carter over the years. Take a look at these 25 artists along with DJ Khaled to see who comes out on top below.
Mic Geronimo – 2
“Time to Build” (1995)
“Single Life” (1997)
Foxy Brown – 2
“I’ll Be” (1997)
“Bonnie & Clyde Pt. 2” (1999)
Diddy – 2
“Young G’s (1997)
“Do You Like It…Do You Want It…” (1999)
The Notorious B.I.G. – 2
“I Love the Dough” (1997)
“Whatchu Want” (2005)
DMX – 2
“Blackout” (1998)
“Bath Salts” (2021)
Ja Rule – 2
“Kill Em All” (1999)
“It’s Murda” (1999)
Freeway – 2
“What We Do” (2003)
“Roc-a-Fella Billionaires” (2007)
T.I. – 2
“Watch What You Say to Me” (2007)
“Swagga Like Us” (2008)
For the Full List: Rappers With the Most Jay-Z Guest Verses – XXL | https://www.xxlmag.com/rappers-most-jay-z-guest-verses/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Top 10 Remix Chart (based on sales)
August 2022
Comments: City Girls and Mashups dominate this month’s chart.
Excludes free remixes.
10. Don Toliver, Lil Durk & Latto vs Big Tymers – Fast Lane mashup
9. City Girls feat Usher – Good Love remix
8. 50 Cent vs Sweetie – In Da Club vs Best Friend mashup
7. Burna Boy – Last Last remix
6. Kate Bush – Running Up That Hill remix
5. ABBA – Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! remix
4. City Girls vs Yo Gotti – Act Up vs Act Right mashup (Music Video)
3. Faith Evans – Love Like This remix
2. Yung Gravy – Betty (Get Money) remix
The legendary Gangsta Grillz DJ shared several photos on Instagram on Thursday (November 10) showing him putting in work on the album in the studio. In his caption, Drama hinted at the project arriving sooner rather than later.
“ALBUM MODE IM REALLY LIKE THAT COMING SOON GEN•NOW,” he wrote.
DJ Drama’s slideshow included photos of a heavily redacted tracklist on a whiteboard. A close examination, however, reveals a slew of potential A-list features including Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Gucci Mane, Offset, Lil Durk, Roddy Ricch, Jack Harlow, Freddie Gibbs and Doe Boy.
While further details surrounding the project remain scarce, I’m Really Like That will serve as DJ Drama’s first solo album since 2016’s Quality Street Music 2, which boasted appearances from Lil Wayne, T.I., Young Thug and others.
The album announcement comes at a busy time for Drama. Over the last few years, the Philadelphia native has resurrected his beloved Gangsta Grillz series with several high-profile releases from the likes of Tyler, The Creator, J. Cole and Dreamville, Snoop Dogg, Jim Jones, Symba and more.
His latest offering came with longtime collaborator Jeezy in the form of Snofall, which dropped last month.
Snofall was a long time coming for the duo, especially considering their past issues. During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Jeezy spoke about his beef with DJ Drama and how they ultimately resolved it.
J. Cole fans have anxiously awaited him and his team to announce next year’s Dreamsville Festival. Well, their dreams have been answered.
The North Carolinian artist will return with the musical event next spring to the delight of his fans.
“Dreamville Festival will officially return next spring to Raleigh, North Carolina on Saturday, April 1st, and Sunday, April 2nd, 2023,” a rep said. “A special ticket pre-sale will also soon be available for Dreamville fans who sign-up for the official festival email or text newsletter at www.DreamvilleFest.com.”
Dreamville Festival President Adam Roy commented on how excited he has been working with the brand and the big things coming up.
“Dreamville Festival wants to keep growing and building off the success of the expanded two-day event last year. Our team is excited to reunite with our Dreamville family from around the world next spring,” said Roy. “Day ones, JID fans, Ari fans, music fans, everyone is welcome. Consider this your personal invite. Come through, you won’t want to miss Dreamville 2023.”
The 2021 and 2022 festivals were highly successful, with 80,000 total attendees converging in Raleigh, NC, from all 50 states and over a dozen countries worldwide.
In fact, this year, the festival made a “$6.7-million-dollar economic impact on the local Raleigh and Wake County community,” J. Cole’s team shared.
The hope is for 2023 to be as great as previous years.
Industry Blackout has released a statement to XXL in the wake of virtual AI rapper FN Meka being dropped from Capitol Records. The organization sent an open letter to the label earlier today, calling for the artist and label to terminate its partnership.
“We feel it it is a great victory that Capitol Records terminated their contract with FN Meka however, the fact this happened to begin with shows how much work is still ahead of us,” the statement starts. “We’re glad the people amplified our voices to be heard so quickly on a Black issue, and that our action led to results. This should set a precedent that shows how Black and Brown voices can unify behind issues and get things done.
“There was a great opportunity to do something innovative with hip hop and tech. Tech should be used to amplify the culture And there’s still a chance to do so—the right way. At the end of the day, we’ve been about the people since inception and continue to focus on our community. At every turn we will stand up when needed.”
ORIGINAL STORY (Aug. 23):
Grand opening. Grand closing. Just days after news broke that AI-powered virtual rapper FN Meka had signed a deal with Capitol Records, the label announced it has dropped the ’bot following backlash.
On Tuesday (Aug. 23), a rep for Capitol Records released a statement to XXL confirming its decision to part ways with the “rapper.”
“CMG has severed ties with the FN Meka project, effectively immediately,” the statement reads. “We offer our deepest apologies to the Black community for our insensitivity in signing this project without asking enough question about equity and the creative process behind it. We thank those who have reached out to us with constructive feedback in the past couple of days—your input was invaluable as we came to the decision to end our associate with the project.”
The opposition to FN Meka apparently received a strong push from @industryblkout, a “unified body of Black people in the industry committed to changing the community” on Twitter, who published a hard stance statement against Capitol Records and the Meka project on Tuesday calling it an “abomination and disrespectful to real people who face real consequences in real life.”
XXL has reached out to Industry Blackout for comment.
— Industry Blackout #IndustryBlackout (@industryblkout) August 23, 2022
The announcement arrives after backlash the label received from recently signing the virtual rapper to a recording contract. FN Meka is the creation of Anthony Martini and Brandon Le, cofounders of Factory New, a virtual record label who were the first to ink the virtual rhymer to a deal. FN Meka’s voice is based off a real human, but everything else about the rapper including his rhymes are based off artificial intelligence technology, according to its creators. In appearance, Meka looks like to a caricature of a racially ambiguous Soundcloud rapper, complete with colored dreads and face tats. Meka even has a new single with Gunna titled “Florida Water.”
However, the Meka “project” has received backlash. For one, Meka uses the N-word in lyrics. On the 2019 track “Moonwalkin’,” he spits the lines, “Moonwalkin’ with a shawty in the lobby/Feel like Hank Hill when I raise the Bobby (Bobby)/I don’t see no niggas like we playin’ hockey (Hockey).”
The announcement arrives after backlash the label received from recently signing the virtual rapper to a recording contract. FN Meka is the creation of Anthony Martini and Brandon Le, cofounders of Factory New, a virtual record label who were the first to ink the virtual rhymer to a deal. FN Meka’s voice is based off a real human, but everything else about the rapper including his rhymes are based off artificial intelligence technology, according to its creators. In appearance, Meka looks like to a caricature of a racially ambiguous Soundcloud rapper, complete with colored dreads and face tats. Meka even has a new single with Gunna titled “Florida Water.”
However, the Meka “project” has received backlash. For one, Meka uses the N-word in lyrics. On the 2019 track “Moonwalkin’,” he spits the lines, “Moonwalkin’ with a shawty in the lobby/Feel like Hank Hill when I raise the Bobby (Bobby)/I don’t see no niggas like we playin’ hockey (Hockey).”
EnjoyTheBEATZ.com Top 10 Remix Chart (based on sales)
May 2022
Excludes free remixes.
10. Saweetie – Tap In remix
9. Latto & Mariah Carey, DJ Khaled – Big Energy remix
8. Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline remix
7. The Beatles – Twist & Shout remix
6. Bon Jovi – Its My Life remix
5. The Kinks – You Really Got Me Remix
4. Bill Haley & His Comets – Rock Around The Clock remix
3. The Temptations – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg remix
2. Jefferson Airplane – Somebody To Love remix
Eminem, 50 Cent and Dr. Dre have reunited on an unearthed song called “Is This Love (’09),” from Slim Shady’s newly-released compilation album Curtain Call 2.
As the title suggests, the track was originally recorded in 2009 — the same year Eminem made his post-Encore comeback with Relapse — and finds the close-knit trio connecting for a playful song about romantic and sexual infatuation.
“Girl, I’m diggin’ your whole MO/Give me a go, you’re throwin’ innuendo/Keep sendin’ me smoke signals/Everything’s movin’, spinning in slow M-O-T-I-O-N,” Em raps over bouncy production from Dr. Dre, Mark Batson and Trevor Lawrence Jr.
50 Cent, meanwhile, channels his inner Slim Shady with a rapid-fire, acronym-riddled verse full of shock value. Judging by at least one lyric, 50 recorded his rhymes much later than ’09.
“I kill a bitch with a potato peeler for the skrilla/I’m finna skin a sinner, dick robbed like Bruce Jenner,” he spits, referencing Caitlyn Jenner’s 2015 gender transition.
“Is This Love (’09)” is one of three new songs on Curtain Call 2 alongside “From the D 2 the LBC” featuring Snoop Dogg and the CeeLo Green-assisted “The King and I,” which also appears on the Elvis soundtrack.
Curtain Call 2‘s primary purpose, though, is serving as a highlight reel of Eminem’s decorated catalog since the release of his first greatest hits album, Curtain Call: The Hits, in 2005.
Post Malone partnered with the Whatnot app to set up a Magic: The Gathering match where a fan can win $100,000.
One lucky person will win $100,000 if they beat Post Malone in a game of Magic: The Gathering.
Post Malone teamed with Whatnot, a livestream shopping app, to arrange a special Magic: The Gathering battle. A fan will be flown out to Los Angeles to face him in a one-on-one match in August.
“We built Whatnot with the ethos of offering hands-down the best experiences for the most passionate enthusiasts, hobbyists and collectors,” Whatnot’s John Walters said in a press release. “Post Malone, both as an artist and as a person, fits perfectly into this growing and supportive community.”
He continued, “As a multi-talented artist with skills that extend beyond music — and as an avid Magic: The Gathering player and formidable opponent — we’re looking forward to seeing him battle it out live with one of our dedicated fans.”
Post Malone will host a giveaway on the Whatnot app on August 4. During the livestream, a winner will be randomly selected to face him in Magic: The Gathering on August 11.
The battle with the diamond-selling artist will also be livestreamed on Whanot. If his opponent wins, they will receive $100,000 in cash.
“I absolutely love Magic: The Gathering and I can’t wait to link up with Whatnot and battle it out with the winner,” Post Malone said.
